Did someone tell you to buy a gift card to pay a fine or bill? Stop. It’s a scam. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. Here’s how to spot and avoid gift card scams.

Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. The person contacting you is, they say, from the government or a company you know. (They’re not.) They say to pay right away or something terrible will happen. (It won’t.)

Scammers rush you because they don’t want you to have time to think about what they say or talk to someone you trust. The scammer will tell you which gift cards to buy and where to buy them. Sometimes, they’ll stay on the phone with you while you go to the store and load money onto the card. They want you to think they’re helping you. (They’re not.) Once you add money to the card and give scammers the gift card number, your money is gone. If you get a call like this, hang up the phone.

If you bought a gift card and gave someone the numbers off the back of the card:

Report the gift card scam to the gift card company right away. No matter how long ago the scam happened, report it. Use the How To Contact Gift Card Companies list to report it. It helps to have the gift card and store receipt handy, if possible.

Ask for your money back. Some companies are helping stop gift card scams and might give your money back. It’s worth asking.

Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference and helps protect your community from fraud and scams.   back...